ST. CROIX — The Office of the Supervisor of Elections certified the results of the August 1 Democratic primary election Wednesday, the Elections System of the Virgin Islands announced.
The office’s action formally ended the delay in certifying the election.
The certification comes 10 days after the statutory deadline and follows differences within the Elections System over whether the Board or Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes’ office was responsible for certifying the results.
The issue stemmed from changes to election law that shifted responsibility in 2024 for conducting elections and certifying results from the Board of Elections to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections.
The Board nevertheless voted August 11 to certify the results itself but by the time the casting of the lots took place on Tuesday evening, the certification was not yet finalized.
In a formal legal opinion dated August 24 supporting Fawkes’ action, Attorney General Gordon Rhea concluded that the supervisor of elections has the sole authority to certify election results.
According to the certified territorial summary, 10,551 ballots were cast in the primary election, including 18 blank ballots, for a reported voter turnout of 50.43%.
In the race for delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, Janelle K. Sarauw won the Democratic nomination with 5,167 votes. Delia Smith finished second with 3,202 votes, followed by Teri Helenese with 848 and Emmett Hansen with 522. There were also 24 write-in votes.
In the gubernatorial primary, the ticket of Delegate to Congress Stacey E. Plaskett and Senate President Milton E. Potter received 4,742 votes, defeating Lieutenant Governor Tregenza A. Roach and Senator Novelle E. Francis Jr., who received 3,212 votes, and former Senator Donna Frett-Gregory and Rodney Moorehead, who received 2,101 votes. There were 45 write-in votes.
The official results also confirmed the Democratic nominees for the Legislature in each district.
On St. Croix, where voters selected seven senators, Senator Kurt Vialet led the field with 3,698 votes. He was followed by Senator Kenneth “Kenny” Gittens with 2,805 votes; Senator Clifford A. Joseph with 2,568; Nemmy Williams-Jackson with 2,300; Lisa J. Charles with 2,114; Senator Hubert L. Frederick with 2,106; and Jose “Besse” Gonzalez with 1,771.
Those seven candidates finished ahead of Lynda “Nikki” Brooks, who received 1,599 votes; Dwight Mike Cartier with 661; and Omar B. U. Henry with 538. There were 149 write-in votes.
In the St. Thomas/St. John District, Senator Avery L. Lewis led the Senate field with 2,897 votes. Senator Marvin A. Blyden received 2,474 votes, followed by Senator Carla J. Joseph with 2,363; Rudel A. Hodge Jr. with 1,690; Shenelle Fina Francis with 1,661; Ray “PuPa” Fonseca with 1,603; and Joel S. Browne Connors with 1,490.
Those seven candidates finished ahead of Peter Bailey, who received 1,484 votes, Kashief Hamilton with 1,397, Mayard May Leader with 1,342, Lawrence “Larry” Boschulte with 1,178, and Michael A. Smith with 1,060. The certified results included 834 write-in votes.
The certification also confirmed the results of the Board of Education races.
On St. Croix, Terrence T. Joseph led with 1,842 votes, followed by Winona A. Hendricks with 1,750 votes. Voters selected two candidates, so Joseph and Hendricks, both current Board of Education members, were the only two candidates who advanced to the general election. Christopher Jacobs Jr. received 1,286 votes and Mojania “Mo” Denis received 1,255 votes.
In the St. Thomas-St. John District, Judy M. Gomez received 2,478 votes and Arah C. Lockhart received 1,805 votes. Voters could only select two candidates. Gomez and Lockhart, both current Board of Education members, advanced to the general election. D’Vonte J. Xavier received 1,456 votes and Michelle M. Cawthron received 585.
The certified results for the St. Thomas/St. John Board of Elections race listed Kevin A. Rodriguez with 1,876 votes, Barbara A. Petersen with 1,872 votes, and Atanya S. Springette with 1,789 votes. Voters selected two candidates. Only Rodriguez and Petersen advanced to the General Election.
The certification resolves a dispute that had delayed the official completion of the primary election.
As WTJX previously reported, the Board of Elections missed the statutory deadline to certify the results after members disagreed over whether the Board or the Office of the Supervisor of Elections had that responsibility following changes to Virgin Islands election law.
READ MORE: Elections yet to certify primary election, missing deadline prescribed by law; lots drawn Tuesday
At the casting of lots on Tuesday for positions on the November general election ballot, St. Croix Deputy Supervisor of Elections Terrell Alexandre told WTJX that three Board of Elections members in each district had signed the certification report, but the Board had not reached a quorum to certify the election.
In his legal opinion, Rhea wrote that Act No. 8690 transferred canvassing and certification duties directly to the supervisor of elections under Title 18, Section 4(b)(16) of the Virgin Islands Code. Although references to the Board’s former certification authority remained elsewhere in the law, Rhea concluded that allowing both bodies to have certification authority could create conflicts and confusion.
The attorney general wrote that the Board retains general supervisory authority and can serve as an appellate body if a candidate challenges a certification decision, but the initial authority to certify elections rests with the supervisor.
With Wednesday’s certification by the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, the August 1 primary results are now official. The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 3.
